Queen of the Sun

A look at disappearing bees, and why it matters

Honey bees are the focus of Taggart Siegel's docu-essay, and, specifically, their current alarming plight. The film interviews experts for their insights on "colony collapse disorder," which involves bees not returning to their hives, abruptly disappearing. CCD may be caused by pesticides, monoculture, destruction of habitat, "mobile bee factories," mites, genetically modified plants or some other imposition of our modern life on the natural order. But the math is simple: Bees pollinate the majority of the fruits and vegetables we eat (plus the flowers we enjoy), and the disappearance of bees could be catastrophic. Many of the well-meaning apiarists and scientists interviewed tend to be cerebral, earnestly organic or even a bit mystical. (There are brief forays into artistic celebrations of bees.) But then there is the working-class Londoner who takes his late-day pint and smokes up to his rooftop hives to relax with his "beautiful girls." That's the challenge really: Bees will need everybody's support. Starts Sat., May 21, through Wed., May 25. Melwood